♥♥♥ I thought I would take this opportunity to share some kitten love with you. I love cats so much, but the other members of my family are both very allergic to them and so sadly, I have to make do … Continue reading →

I recently read Nuala O’Connor’s intriguing book about the American poet Emily Dickinson, which was given to me by a close friend. The novel blends fact and fiction creating a meticulous detailed description of 19th century Amherst. The story line follows a fictitious … Continue reading →

I recently spent an afternoon sketching in Gloucester Cathedral near my home. A monastery has stood on this site since the late 7th century and the cathedral was established in 1541. There are many things that I love about the cathedral, but, … Continue reading →

Last Sunday was a day of scorching heat, under clear blue skies. We got dressed up and headed off to the biennial Art Couture Festival some 8 miles away in the village of Painswick. Although the proceedings took place under … Continue reading →

I’ve taken quite a long time out from posting on here since leaving my job as a college lecturer. I really felt that I needed some space to experiment with different things before deciding which direction I wanted my work to … Continue reading →

Using only folding and cutting, this is possibly the simplest way to make a fantastic sketchbook that slips easily into your pocket. Depending on what you fill it with, it could be the most creative use of a piece of … Continue reading →

I’ve been working on the portrait that I was making sketches for a couple of weeks ago; the subject is the exotic dancer Mata Hari. Steady progress is being made, but I have to admit that the going is slow, … Continue reading →

This is the first sketch for a new portrait I have planned. Sometimes I make a sketch of the whole composition before I begin, but I felt that I just wanted to begin by trying out the drawing techniques I … Continue reading →

This is a painting of sunflowers that I have been working on for some time. It’s by far the largest still life watercolour that I’ve ever attempted, measuring 23″x 33″. I also tried to in a new way for me, … Continue reading →